Volume 12, Issue 037 - February 20, 2007

Good Day Chef,

What is Cervena?

Cervena is premium farmed venison from New Zealand. Cervena is distinguished from all other venison by the trademarked assurance that the meat has been naturally raised and processed in licensed Cervena plants, in accordance with internationally recognized quality standards.

About the Name

The name Cervena reaches back to historical origins, combining cervidae, the Latin word for deer, with venison.

Criteria to Become Cervena Venison

In order to qualify as Cervena Natural Tender Venison, the farmed animals must meet specific criteria:

Under three years of age.

Naturally raised:

• The deer must be able to roam and graze freely in natural conditions on the pastures of the farm.
• No growth hormones or steroids are administered to the animals.
• The deer are fed only on the grasses of the pasture and can be supplemented during the colder months with only natural feed like hay and silage.
• Transported and processed according to strict quality-assured standards of the Cervena brand; licensed processing plants are audited bi-annually by an independent agency.

Source: Cervena.com

Natural Tender Venison from the Open Farmlands of New Zealand. Resources, Cooking Guides, Who's Using Cervena, Recipes and More!

Cervena Osso Buco with New Pea and Sweetcorn Risotto and Red Wine Sauce

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

Osso Buco:

6 Cervena osso buco cuts
salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 leek
1/2 bottle red wine
1/2 cup tomato purée
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 1/2 cups Cervena stock

Risotto:

1 cup arborio rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, fine diced
1/4 cup white wine
1 quart (1 liter) chicken stock
1 cup new peas
1 cup sweetcorn kernels
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 heaped tablespoon chopped parsley
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon truffle oil (optional)

Preparation:

Risotto:

Heat casserole to medium heat, add olive oil and onion and sauté very well, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 3 minutes. Deglaze with white wine; reduce, and add the hot chicken stock in thirds. When the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed, remove from stove and add the blanched peas and sweetcorn, cheese, butter, parsley, seasonings and truffle oil.

Osso Buco:

Season Cervena osso buco with salt and pepper. Heat a large saucepan on medium heat. Add olive oil and sear the Cervena on both sides to give good rich color; remove from pan.

Add the chopped mirepoix (carrot, celery, red onion and leeks) and lightly caramelize. Deglaze with red wine, reduce by 1/2, add the tomato purée, herbs, garlic and Cervena stock. Put the osso buco back in pan and bring to the boil. Cover with lid and braise in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven until meat is tender and pulling away from the bone, approximately 1 hour.

Remove the Cervena from the pan, keep covered. Purée the sauce with all the vegetables and put through a chinois, pressing to extract all juices. Place osso buco back into strained sauce. Keep warm.

To Finish the Dish:

Place a mound of the risotto in a deep bowl plate and place the osso buco on top. Pour around the sauce and serve.

Recipe by: Chef Graham Brown, New Zealand

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Cervena's Distinguishing Characteristics:
Cervena's distinguishing characteristics have made it the choice of many top chefs who serve venison on their menus.

Flavorful - a distinctive, yet mild red meat flavor.

Tender - from naturally raised animals three years and under.

Consistent - high standards guarantee consistent quality from order to order.

Quality-Assured - "commitment to quality from pasture to plate" is the hallmark of the Cervena product, which is processed and packaged to highest international standards, including US FDA requirements and the internationally recognized ISO 9002 quality management system standard.

Healthy - low in fat, calories and cholesterol, and a quality source for protein and iron, Cervena shares a similar nutritional profile to skinless chicken breast, but with a third the fat and more than double the iron.

Versatile - the taste and texture of Cervena as well as the variety of cuts available make it conducive to year round eating, from seasonal preparations like braised osso bucco in winter or to a grilled steak in the warmer months.

Chefs may purchase Cervena through local wholesale distributors. A list can be found at www.cervena.com

Source: Cervena.com

Prairie Harvest ships game meats to professional chefs, home chefs, resorts and restaurants.

Venison Roast with Fava Bean-Chevre Purée, Radish Salad and Celery Leaf Salsa Verde

This is an elegant warm weather dish that only takes about a half hour of oven time. The accompaniments can be prepared ahead for an easy entertaining dinner guaranteed to impress. The venison tastes equally delicious served warm or room temperature.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 piece each top round and bottom round Cervena venison, from the Denver leg cut

salt and pepper
2 cups fava beans, blanched and shucked
1cup fresh goat cheese
1/2 cup crème fraîche
3 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 whole shallot, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced
2 tablespoons capers
2 anchovy filets
1 bunch of parsley
1/2 bunch each of chervil, basil, mint, and rosemary, leaves only
2 lemons, zested and juiced
1 head of celery, stalks separated and washed
1 dozen French radishes
2 bunches watercress

Preparation:

Bring meat to room temperature. Season well with salt and pepper. Cover and let sit for 1 hour.

Fava Bean-Chevre Puree:

Place fava beans, chevre, crème fraîche, and 1/2 cup of olive oil in a blender. Purée until smooth, adding a little water to loosen, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Celery Leaf Salsa Verde:

In a bowl, mix together the shallot, garlic, capers, anchovies, parsley, chervil, mint, basil and lemon zest. Toss with 1 1/2 cups of the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Please note: Celery leaves will be added to the verde just before serving.

Radish Salad:

Pick out the yellow celery heart leaves and reserve. Thinly slice celery stalks on a bias. Thinly slice radishes. Trim stems from watercress and place all three ingredients in a bowl. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Cervena Venison:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Coat a heavy roasting pan with 1/4 cup olive oil and heat over medium flame. Slowly brown the meat, turning it often until the meat is evenly browned. Add a few rosemary sprigs and 1/4 cup of olive oil to pan. Place meat in the oven and roast for approximately 20 minutes or until roasts reach an internal temperature of 125 degrees.

Remove from the oven and allow the meat to rest for10 minutes.

To Serve:

Add the reserved celery heart leaves to the salsa verde mixture and toss with juice from 1 1/2 lemons. Adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Place a large spoonful of fava bean-chevre purée on each of the six plates. Thinly slice venison roasts and place a few slices on top of purée. Spoon some of the salsa verde over meat.

Toss the radish and watercress salad with remaining lemon juice and 1/2 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place to the side of the venison.

Recipe by: Chef Robbie Lewis, Jardiniere, San Francisco